Carrie Underwood, shown here in concert at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena, will star in a live production of 'The Sound of Music' on NBC in 2013. / Rick Diamond Getty Images

by Brian Mansfield, USA TODAY

by Brian Mansfield, USA TODAY

How do you solve a problem like Carrie Underwood? You put her in The Sound of Music. At least, that's what NBC will be doing.

The multi--platinum country superstar will star in the role of Maria von Trapp in a live broadcast of The Sound of Music, a three-hour event slated for the 2013 holiday season.

NBC is partnering with Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, the team that produced the network's musical series Smash. "We're thrilled to be presenting the Broadway version of The Sound of Music live," Zadan and Meron said in a press release announcing the production, "and having Carrie Underwood as the star brings it to a new generation who will fall in love with it for the first time as many millions of people already have. It's a particular joy to us as producers to see this amazing artist stretch into new territory with this classic musical."

Underwood has sold more than 15 million albums since winning American Idol in 2005. She starred in her own holiday variety special in 2009 and made her film-acting debut 2011's Soul Surfer, following a guest TV role on How I Met Your Mother. She also as co-hosted The CMA Awards for the past five years.